


The trip of a lifetime

by FullmetalSunshine (Baekhanded)



Series: Royed OTPoly [6]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Ed Swears, Falling In Love, First Meetings, Fluff, Get Together, Hitchhiking, Insecurity, M/M, Meet-Cute, Roadtrip, Song Lyrics, Teasing, Weddings, idk what meetcute means but
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:13:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25527235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baekhanded/pseuds/FullmetalSunshine
Summary: Edward has a wedding to get to, and of course the trains arent working, will hitch hiking be the answer, or will it lead him to a ditch?And why the hell does the radio keep playing love songs?
Relationships: Edward Elric/Roy Mustang
Series: Royed OTPoly [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1814119
Comments: 6
Kudos: 68
Collections: RoyEd OTPoly 2020





	The trip of a lifetime

**Author's Note:**

> *INSERT ELMO RISE EMOJI*
> 
> I have been working on this bad boy forEVER!!!!!!
> 
> Im honestly really prooud of it and also so glad i no longer have to think of it!!!!!!!!!! Songs used will be below!!  
> "Ed & Roy go on a road trip. Use at least 3 songs to move the plot"

Edward was up shit creek without a paddle. Which was where he usually was, but this time was different. He had prepared, he was at the train station more than a week early. His brother was getting  _ married.  _ He had to be there on  _ time.  _ He didn’t know shit about Drachma, but he knew it was quite a long ways away! He knew Al needed him to be there before the damn ceremony itself! He sure as hell couldn’t walk, and he couldn’t waste the two days before the next train this way he needed all the time he could get.

So that's why he's hitch hiking. Never let it be said that Edward Elric didn’t do everything he possibly could do for his little brother. Only for his little brother would he risk maiming and death with strangers. 

Step one was gathering his shit though- gathering his shit and starting the walk. Which he did, without a single complaint. 

He shouldered his burden in one hand, tossed over his shoulder while the other had a thumb out towards the road. He didn’t turn to wait and look as he heard approaching cars. He’d made it about a mile before he heard a car honk at him, and that got him to turn and slow his pace to a stop. 

It was a nice car he’d admit that. And the guy driving it was kind of a looker himself. But Ed just rose a brow and tilted his head as the stranger rolled the window down and leaned over to talk.

“Where are you headed.” Oh his voice was nice too…

“As far north as you’ll take me.” Ed responded.

The other rose a brow, “Are you running from something?”   
  
“Is that your business? Are you heading near Briggs or what? I gotta get through to Drachma some time in the next five days and I'm wasting time already talking to you.” He felt his irritation rising.

The man seemed surprised, “That’s...actually where i’m heading, hop in and we can go as far as you need. It will probably be easier to pass through in a car than on foot anyways.” 

“Oh so you’re a wiseass, this is gonna be great.” He got in anyways- he trusted himself enough to kick ass if the guy tried something, plus he’d be in for a nasty surprise if he tried anything. 

It was only a moment or two of silence once Ed settled before the other started talking.    
  
“I suppose we’ll be spending quite a bit of time together over the next few days. It’s only proper that I introduce myself. My name is Roy, and i’m headed to Drachma for a wedding.”   
  
That….no what the hell were the odds?   
  
Ed side eyed him and slouched in the seat. “Ed, and...same actually.” He didn’t need to say any more than that...right?

“What a coincidence!” Roy said exactly what Ed was thinking, “What are the odds, right? I wonder if it will be in the same place...I know next to nothing of Drachma, we’ll have to get some maps…” 

“All I know is that it'll take me at least five days to get there by car- the train was just three.” He can't keep his sigh to himself. 

“If i’m honest, I saw you at the station briefly,” Ed tensed and looked at him, “I wasn’t going to offer any assistance until I saw you walking with your thumb out. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to get in some good karmic graces when entering what used to be an enemy area.”    
  
Ed rose a brow, a quirk to his mouth despite himself, “Well, I hope that works out for you. I’ve got notoriously shit luck. Maybe karma will have mercy on you, even though you helped the favorite whipping boy.” 

Roy...well he laughed, and Ed felt himself perk up just a bit, “Oh? You're laughing at karma now? Oh man you’re gonna be in for a shit ride!”

“If we end up broken down I'll bury myself in Drachma,” Roy’s eyes sparkled and Ed figured it wouldn’t actually be that bad to be stuck in the presence of this man for the next almost week. 

Besides he had to be on his best behavior, it wasn’t often that a handsome stranger offered you a ride and just so happened to be going damn near the same direction for the same amount of time. If they ended up going to the same wedding Ed would eat his entire boot.

__

It had been two days, and Edward and Roy were getting along quite well. They got into some very heated debates but Ed wasn’t nearly homicidal and Roy wasn’t looking like he wanted to roast Ed over an open fire. They might even be on the road to friendship if Ed was brave enough to keep something going after their inevitable departure from each other.

He just wished the other would let him  _ drive! _ It’d save them time  _ and _ money! If Ed had to hear one more time how he was made the perfect size for sleeping in cars this might end in a homicide though…

“I need to get gas...and stretch my legs, how are you holding up?” Roy asked after a while.

And honestly Ed could kiss him if he wasn’t so sour, “Sounds great, I think there’s a gas station about a mile off the next exit.” He had been looking at maps for a few days. Still no closer to knowing shit about Drachma. 

Hopefully the Briggs pitstop would have some damn maps.

As Roy hummed and kept driving, they pulled off to the exit and started looking for the station. They had a pop station on but somehow the song playing had caught Ed’s ear and he couldn’t help but recognize words once something had piqued his interest.

_ ~"Never been in love _

_ And it's all good _

_ Not the only one _

_ Feeling like they should~ _

What a silly song but...he could relate to it..kind of. That hadn’t really been on his priority list. It was usually Alphonse.

He pointed to the gas station and Roy pulled in without a thought.   
  


_ ~Maybe one day, some day _

_ But no, I ain't in a rush _

_ I say whatever, don't care that I've never _

_ No, never been in love~” _

That was the truth! Edward nodded as he hopped out of the car and beelined for the gas station. They always had the most interesting stuff and snacks!   
  
  


_ ~"You can have your romance, go on a perfect date _

_ But for me, there just ain't enough hours in the day”~ _

What the hell kind of coincidence that the station would be playing the same station they were? Ed found himself humming along as he browsed, casting a glance to the door as the bell jingled. He cast Roy a little grin and a little wiggle of fingers. Roy laughed and waved back before doing his own station crawl. 

How  _ did  _ people find time for romance? How did Al? They were in two different countries...how did they keep it up enough to even think to get married? He must have been standing there, staring at the lighters for an obscene amount of time. He felt a hand touch his shoulder and he jumped, only realisation protected Roy from ending up on his ass.

Roy raised his hands, “Sorry, you just- are you alright? I don’t think you’ve blinked for a minute. I called your name but you didn’t budge.”   
  
Ed shook his head and shrugged, “Sorry- yeah I was just lost in thought. Nothing important just heard something that got in my head.”   
  
“Do you wanna talk about it? Roy rose a perfect brow.

Ed grinned and shook his head, “Nope!” he popped the p. “I kinda wanna go into a sugar and junkfood coma and sleep in your backseat. My arm and leg are fucking killing me.”   
  
“Should we get some painkillers too then?” he was grinning and the desire to actually kiss it off was getting….strong.

_ Damn Ed you’ve known the guy two days, chill! _

“I gotta mix em to do the trick and in an obscene amount, go wait in the car and ill bring back surprises! Hey don’t look at me like that! My surprises are good!” Roy only laughed.

“So long as you don’t get distracted again- i’ll give you ten minutes.”   
  
Ed spitefully made it back in seven, laden with junkfood, painkillers, stupid last minute trinkets and two rainbow slushies. “Told you I had good surprises. I’ll be in the back seat. Don’t hit the brakes hard or I'll go flying. I’m not buckling in for another ten.”

“Good thing you're too small to get me a ticket.”    
  
That one earned him a smack.

__

Edward was honestly a menace, he knew this about himself. But sometimes he forgot other people didn’t. He spent quite a bit of time in the back seat, just stretching out. Roy wouldn’t know why, cause Ed had kept the little fact about his arm and leg a secret. (cause really, he didn’t need to know that!) So he didn’t really know what the other thought he was doing.

He assumed he didn’t care. At least not until he let out a very amusing but very loud sound when Ed decided he’d settled enough and the medicine had kicked in and crawled between the center console to get back into his seat.   
  
“What the hell don’t yell!” He batted at Roy’s hand trying to settle him.

“I thought you were hurt or something! I didn’t even hit the brakes! Damn Edward what the hell!” He slapped his hand to his chest dramatically.

Ed just laughed, “Oh man get used to that!”   
  
Roy had a lot he had to get to know, and Ed would be lying if he said he wasn’t excited to find out his reactions.

If they were all like that he was going to be in for a wild ride.

__

They were a few hours from the border to Drachma, they’d pass through Briggs come the morning. But Edward couldn’t sleep. He didn’t know  _ why _ . He wasn’t upset or restless or worried. He’d fallen asleep in worse places and the cold wasn’t even that bad yet. 

Their schedule had turned into something Edward knew by heart but oh did he wish he could have a bed. They always had something playing, to drown out the silence of the night. Roy didn’t do well in silence and Ed could understand that. So he was sitting there, curled up on the passenger seat, staring up out the window while another pop song played through the speakers. Only the pure silence of a soft snowfall allowed Ed to actually pick up the words. 

_ ~I'm gonna break down these walls, (down these walls) I built around myself. _

_ I wanna fall so in love (so in love), with you, and no one else,~ _

Could he really be falling in love? Did he even know what that meant yet? He’d honestly been thinking about it ever since that moment in the gas station. Did he feel like he was missing out on something? What could falling in love bring him? Was it time now that Al was kind of moving on..moving away?   
  
Was he feeling lonely? Was he afraid of being alone?

Yes. Yes he was.

While he stared at the sky he realized he had just pushed the thought of love away from himself. He knew he was unlovable. He was short and scarred and rash and kind of mean. If that didn’t turn someone away, the battlefield of his body and automail would. He didn’t pay attention to others or himself. He could get lost in research for hours-  _ days _ even. 

That didn’t make a good partner, nothing about him made him desirable. Aside from those assholes back in school that thought it’d be a good challenge to get the little nerd to give it up. He might not understand social cues but he knows a slimeball when he sees one.

He sighs softly and curls up tighter.

_ ~Could ever mean half as much, to me as you do now. _

_ Together we'll move on, just don't turn around, _

_ Let the walls break down.~ _

Maybe for one night he could fantasize...about what it might be like if someone loved him, and didn’t have to.

__

The next morning found them in Briggs. It had once been only a military fort to keep the hostile Drachman forces out and at bay. Now the name had expanded to the small town a few miles outside of it. There was the town of Briggs, and the old fort which was a museum of sorts now. It was also where they were crossing through into Drachma. 

It was also freezing and only going to get worse. Ed had spent more than he wanted just buying a scarf or two while Roy slaved over the maps. He’d bundled up to the nose and went to find the other. It wasn’t like he was gonna be reading the maps anyways but.

He snorted when he saw the pure distress, “You okay there buddy?” He went to stand beside him.

Roy looked at him and showed him at least eight different maps, “Edward how do I pick? Should we just get them all?”

Ed just plucked them from the other’s hands and sifted through them. He started handing them back, “This one's shit. This one’s made by a shit that wouldn’t know Drachma from a hole in the wall. This one isn’t reputable. This one’s for kids Roy what the hell. This one isn’t in Amestrian- so unless you’re a secret whiz at Aerugan then that's a no too. So there's three left.”   
  
He tilted his head slightly and unfolded some, “This ones pretty good to get the whole idea of all of Drachma...So might just be good to have. This one’s a bit more town oriented, so it’s also good. And this one’s for tourists and I want it simply to laugh at.”

He grinned and Roy looked so relieved as he held the ‘rejects’ to his chest. “Of course you have opinions on maps.” He plucked the three from Ed’s hands and tapped his nose before putting the others away and going to pay, “You also look like a tiny yeti.”   
  
Ed kicked him in the shin and laughed as Roy shouted and chased after him. He didn’t actually expect to be caught and picked up but he was laughing too hard, and it only got harder when Roy grunted.

“You are much heavier than expected, what are you made of lead?” He didn’t let him go even though his words would have signaled he’d drop him in an instant.

“More like half metal~” he teased and wiggled away. 

“Geeze I could believe it, who knew such a small thing could pack such a punch?”

Ed just grinned up at him, “And you haven’t even felt how true that statement is. I could punch through a brick and concrete wall and not feel a thing!” At least not till Winry got a hold of him.

Roy just laughed, and Ed had to laugh with him. Fuck. He was really getting feelings. 

Oh well, he only had a few more days to pick the scab, then he’d push the feelings into a box and shove it into the back of his mental closet. Hell he’d even shove it at the back of the tallest shelf, unable to be reached without getting a ladder.   
  
He wrapped a second, giant scarf around Roy’s neck and the two piled back into the car. Two more days, and they’d probably go their separate ways…   
  


__

Ed stared at Roy smugly as the car smoked in a snowy ditch, “What was it you said? You’d bury yourself in the Drachma snow if the car broke down? Well how bout it Roy? We’re in Drachma, there’s a shit ton of snow, the car is broke the fuck down~.”

Roy just glared daggers as he was put on hold for some form of pick up from the third place he’d called. “Just go look at the map and see if you can find anything.” He bat his hand at Ed irritated.

“Okay bossy, but I did warn you, you can’t blame me for this.” He dug around for the map of smaller towns and not the big one. He hummed and trailed a finger along the road he knew they had taken, and stopped at his best approximation of where they’d been stranded, then walked said fingers along the map to a little town about five miles away. This...was gonna hurt him more than he wanted to admit. “Got it but it’s five miles at least.”    
  
Roy’s shoulders slumped and Ed knew he’d given in before Ed had finished the sentence. He grabs the bags that are important and locks the car tight, “Better get started.” Rou sighed again and hung up the phone.

\--

EEdward was...frozen to the bone- no more than that. His entire soul had icicles all over it. His leg felt like it was going to fall off...again and his arm was going to decapitate him. He had stopped shivering an hour ago. Even with Roy’s scarf added it felt like he was made of ice. He had never seen a near stranger so concerned for him.    
  
He didn’t even know when they’d gotten to town let alone an Inn. It was a small place, kinda reminded Ed of the barns back home but it was dry and there was a fireplace. He hissed when he felt heat. He couldn’t unwrap his arms from himself.   
  
“Edward, let me help you.” Roy’s eyes were worried and earnest.    
  
Ed was… he was past the point of no return really, he had tried to keep it a secret, had tried to be as appealing to Roy as he could be. But this...this would really knock all his fantasies out the window. He nodded anyways.   
  
Roy was slow and careful as he slowly unwrapped his scarves, then went about the coat. He had to take hold of his arms and he actually flinched when he took hold of them and Ed felt like he might cry. That was more dramatic than he thought it’d be, more painful.

“You’re fucking  _ freezing _ Edward!” Confusion took hold as Roy worked faster. Careful but quick he unbend his arms, didn’t even flinch with the creaking of metal. He peeled the coat off, then the several layers under that and finally his shirt and sucked in a breath.    
  
He couldn’t really feel his neck anymore, so it had to have been bad. “Oh you’re an idiot aren’t you.” Ed didn’t say anything but he let himself be dragged to the bathroom and noticed sharp eyes on his pronounced limp. Roy kept quiet as he drew a bath and then...helped Ed out of his pants. Well at least there was a little warmth now.   
  
“Oh Edward...you should have said something, I could have helped somehow.” He rested a too- warm hand on his thigh, right above the metal that there was no doubt he could feel.

Ed hissed and flinched himself, “I-I don’t need pity, I didn’t prepare so I pay the price, that’s how it goes.”   
  
“It’s not pity, it’s  _ worry. _ There is a difference, but we’ll talk about that later, come on, get in. I won’t look just...soak while you get clean. It’s not as warm as you’d like but it might still burn. I’ll leave you something on the counter- don’t worry I won’t peek. Don’t dawdle.” He cupped Edward’s face and stared into his eyes a moment before leaving him to his thoughts.

Edward blinked, but slipped out of his underclothes and sunk into the water. It  _ hurt _ and the metal hissed but it was...better than he thought. He sunk to his nose and didn’t even jump when Roy appeared for one moment to drop off something that looked suspiciously fuzzy and thick. It took more effort than he’d like to admit to not just fall asleep. He washed quickly and stood. It still hurt but...less so now. He dried and dressed in a too but too plush sweater and soft thick pants. Hell there were even thick fluffy socks that Ed had to pull up too far for him to ever think he’d comment on.

He hobbled out into a warm bedroom and Roy ushered him to the bed, and Ed was now realizing there was only one.

“I’m...sorry I didn’t tell you.” He managed to choke out as Roy manhandled him into the bed and tucked him in.   
  
“Edward you don’t owe me your story, but I would have just liked to know it was a thing to prepare for. You don’t need to lose even more than what you have. I hope you don’t mind but we’ll have to share. Try and get some sleep, I'll be but a moment.”    
  
Ed blinked and watched him retreat to the bathroom and the shower turn on.

  
  


_ ~Oh, turn the lights turn the lights down low _

_ Yeah, now I'm feeling you breathing slow, oh~ _

  
  


It felt like a blink before he felt the bed dip. The only light a small fire in the fireplace. He heard the soft sound of music and turned, meeting eyes so dark they somehow shone silver in the night’s light. He felt Roy’s hand, shower warm, rest on his cheek and Ed...wiggled closer to him.

  
  


_ 'Cause, baby, we're just reckless kids _

_ Trying to find an island in the flood _

_ Oh, turn the lights, turn the lights down low~ _

  
  


He fell asleep more comforted than he had in...years.

  
  


___

  
  


Waking up in a warm bed by a not stranger was...the best way Ed could have ever hoped to wake up. He had expected….something much different, more painful, hateful. He was….comfortable. Happy? Maybe.    
  
Roy blinked awake and smiled a sleepy smile and Edward...was fucked really.    
  
“Morning...car’s been towed, we’ll get a rental and should ...wait where am I even taking you…?” That was a lot of words right when waking up. 

Ed, very articulately, grunted something that might have been an “ok, Sarvenski ...uh...cathedral or something…”   
  
Roy didn’t say anything, and Ed blinked more aware, did he say something wrong?   
  
“I’m...going there too...Are you going to Alphonse and Nikko’s wedding?”

Okay he was much more awake now. “Al’s my brother.”   
  
Roy...well he laughed.

Ed tilted his head and stared harder. Roy had to catch his breath, “It’s- Nikko is one of my closest friends!”

Ed stared.

Then stared some more.

Then started laughing.

“Are you telling me- we’ve been going to the same damn place this entire time?!” He wheezed.

Roy, his smile surprisingly bright and...fond? “Yeah, I think so.”   
  
“Gotta date for the wedding?” Ed...couldn’t believe he’d said that.

  
“I believe...the brother of the groom.”   
  
Ed smiled, “Yeah, I think you’re right.”

**Author's Note:**

> (will jay-never been in love  
> Walls-all time low  
> Max-lights down low)
> 
> tht should be the order used!!!


End file.
